School taking money from ParentPay Account

MidLifeCrisis_3

Just wondered if anyone knows where we stand legally on this matter please?

Our school uses ParentPay for dinner money, trips, etc. When letters come out about trips they contain what seems to be standard wording about voluntary contribuations and cancelling the trip if not enough pay for it. Firstly, is it a legal requirement to put this wording on all letters?

Secondly, the problem that several parents have encountered is that they have deducted money for trips that haven't yet been paid for via ParentPay from their child's dinner money. Is this legal?

I always pay up for school trips, but today noticed that although I had already paid for a trip last month on ParentPay, it was taken out of my account again last week with both deductions appearing on my transaction history. This has also happened to others I know with various trips. I've obviously raised this with the school office, but wondered what the legal situation is where the school take money from dinner money to pay for other things such as trips?

Some parents are calling it theft, fraud, etc, but are not sure what to do about it. The head is an unapproachable bully.

Thanks

MLC

newcook

I would write to the school and request that the monies be returned (apart from dinner money) and state to them that the account is for dinner money only and that any other volutary contributions to school trips will be just that - voluntary!

CATS

That is really strange, my son's school uses parent pay and usually when there is a trip to pay for, you have to tick the items you are paying for. For example I would tick the dinner money box and then the trip box, this will go to a check out page and then you check out for those items. I have never had them deduct from the dinner money. In fact unless you have a tick next to the item, it remains there. Strange that it works differently with you, I assumed it would be the same across all of paypal. I shall keep an eye out in future just in case

lucylucy

My ParentPay account also has all items for payment separate.
In fact, I cannot take money from the lunch account to put into a trip account even if I wanted to!

MidLifeCrisis_3

That's the same system I'm using with separate tick boxes for dinner money and each trip. The trips have a set amount to pay and I am told stay on there until everyone has paid for each trip. Dinner money has a minimum top up amount and you can check how much money is remaining and top it up as necessary.

I'm not able to take the money from the dinner money and move it to pay for a trip, but the school are doing this. So the problem is that if you haven't paid for a trip, or in my case where the school make an error and think that you haven't paid, then they are deducting it from the child's dinner money account. The question is can they do that legally especially as the money for school trips is a 'voluntary contribution'?

MLC

duchy

If the head is unapproachable what about one of the school governers? You should have at least one parent governer.

kingfisherblue

I would write a letter asking for an explanation, adding that you would like a copy of the school's complaints procedure. If you approach a governor, they are likely to ask if you have taken up the issue with the headteacher and what their respeonse was. Generally, you have to follow the complaints procedure which usually means contacting the head before the governors, as the governors will not do anything unless procedure has been followed.

If evverything is in writing, the head has an obligation to reply in writing within a set time span (not sure if it is 7 or 14 days, or if it varies between schools). This also creates a paper trail as evidence of any answers given to your enquiry.

Mumto5

I only use my account for dinner money and send money for trips and swimming by cheque to keep everything separate. Approach a parent govenor. That is what they are there for.